Arizona weekly enterprise., 1887-11-05
Es-kim-in-zin,s Case.

"LoRp, how this world is given to ly- ingp is the involuntary response made by the Arizonian who reads the following Associated Press telegram:
 WASHINGTON, October 30-Some weeks ago the military authorities of Arizona Territory reported to the war depart ment that the sheriff of Pinal county held warrants, the legality of which was questioned, for the arrest Of Esklmlnzln and twenty seven other Indians living !, on the San Pedro riv CT ill that territory, upon charges of grand larceny and re- sisting arrests, and has called upon | Captain Pierce, commanding military ! officer at San Carlos Agency, who IS also acting Indian Agent, to aid him in mak- ing the arrests. General Miles Tn re- porting the matter to General Howard, | expressed the opinion that the attempt l cd arrest of these twenty-eight Indians by the local civil authorities would prove serious matter, if indeed, 1t dld not in . volve the Territory in an Indian war. The last act of hostility on the part of the whites, was the arrest of six of the Indians, it is said upon false charges and the attempted arresC of the twenty-eight others referred to above. The Sheriff of Pinal County has made demand up- on Captain Pierce for the surrender of the accused, which, on October 10th, the date of Captain Pierce's letter of transmittal, had not been complied with. Indian officials pronounce the affair as a shameful outrage upon the peaceful and law a biding Indians, and will take ha to store to the Indians their abandoned property.
 The genius of prevarication seldom dis plays such brilliancy as the originator of the above fabrication has achieved, nor has it labored ill more unworthy cause. The legality of the warrants held by Sheriff Fryer of this county for the ar rest of several members of Els kim n-zin' 8 band for horse stealing and cattle killing has never been questioned and one of the Indians arrested confessed himself guilty upon trial and was sentenced to one year to the penitentiary. The. ar rest of the guilty ones was resisted by the chief and his band and subsequent warrants for their arrest for obstructine an officer sent five others to prison and the government will find it an ex ceedingly difficult task to undo the goot work of justice so far as they are con cerned.
 There were no "false charges" involved in the ''last act of hostility" but thu military officer in charge of the Indian reservation has exhibited his hostility tC law and justice by shielding and giving aid and comfort to these fugitives.
 If the Indian officials pronounce tn affair as "a shameful outrage upon tn peaceful and law-abiding Indians" the. pronounce a deliberate falsehood Els km-in-zin had severed his tribal relations had taken out naturalization papers an entered tract of land on the San Pedr river, of the reservation and among tn white settlers Others of his follower did likewise. They were to all intent and purposes citizens of the United State AIu AllloldDlo JO la bu-iA SLiihCo oo white man would be. They planted br little and secured their living by foras ing upon their white neighbors. Bol and impudent, they succeeded by intim dation in restraining their victims frol entering complaint against them until { last the patience of the settlers becon a-Iar.koI o,,I n, fer the guilty ones against whom u proofs were conclusive. This is all tl shameful outrage" that has been COT mitted upon these peaceful and la abiding Indians," and any steps made the military to restore to them the abandoned property must necessari contemplate an armed protectorate ov them, to assist them in successful resis ing the civil law process. This wou constitute an avowed hostility to ci' law and It's practice would encourage fr thsr lAwlessness in a class of human | ing already depraved beyond redem tion.
 We Inter from the tenor Of the abo telegram that in the opinion of the l dian officials, it was the duty of the & tiers to commend the skill and alacr of the Indians in dispatching their her and to cheerfully sacrifice all their p sessions to propitiate the wrath of thu demons who prefer to steal poor livi
 of the reservation rather than draw f
 government rations at the agency. IT
 is about the quality of sense and wisd
 displayed by these hypocritical so-cal
 ''humanitarians" of the east who stu
 Indian character in Cooper's works.
 THE farmer of the Gila valley can pl